SCOUTING flags could soon be fluttering again at Buckmore Park, the controversial leisure complex and possible Olympic training camp.

The rundown Chatham centre, which cost £20 million of mainly public money and has been shut for three years, is poised to be revived under a local owner.

Avondale Environmental Services, a growing firm based at Fort Horsted, Chatham, is close to buying the site from the Rochester Bridge Trust.

The precise sum has not been disclosed but is thought to be around £4.5 million.

Scouts held a solemn flagdown ceremony last July and feared they would never return to the site they have occupied for more than 50 years. But hopes have been raised by the possible Avondale deal that could involve spending about £500,000 to bring the site back into use.

However, as with everything in this long-running saga, nothing is certain.

A year ago, Toby Atkinson, a Folkestone developer, said he had bought the site. However, the trust has rejected his offer in favour of the Avondale deal, which is preferred by the Scouts.

Sue Threader, the Bridge Clerk, confirmed that Avondale had bought the site.

She said: “The trust now has no legal interest in the land and Avondale are now the freeholders of the site.”

She said: “Everybody here is pleased we have the sale and have sold it to somebody the Scouts introduced to us.”

But Avondale spokesman Richard Cox claimed it was not yet a done deal.

He said: “This matter is still going through legal processes and, as such, we are unable to make any comment at all at this stage.

Legal processes

“We are unsure of when the legal processes will be completed. Until then, it would be foolish and possibly detrimental to make a comment.”

Medway Scouts District Commissioner Graham Hancock welcomed the sale – if it goes through.

“I believe there will be a satisfactory outcome for the Scouts,” he said.

He said that after renovation, Buckmore Park would offer quality facilities that would appeal to teams looking for an Olympic 2012 training camp.

Mr Hancock added: “If it’s up and running, with the accommodation units, it would make an ideal base for less well-financed teams at the Olympics.”